Homeless Calgarians fighting frostbite and hypothermia as extreme cold system hangs on

Homeless Calgarians fighting frostbite and hypothermia as extreme cold system hangs on

Volunteers for the John Howard Society were out at the Bow on Tuesday selling toques, caps, mittens and socks with 50 per cent of proceeds going to Roofs for Youths, a housing program that also provides support services based around clients’ individual needs.

Lisa Harris, program manager of youth housing at the John Howard Society, said youth are particularly vulnerable on the streets partly because there are so few shelters in Calgary for minors.

“For a lot of the youth that are currently experiencing homelessness in Calgary, a lot of them don’t have access to those services,” Harris said.

Harris added that accessing transit for many people living on the street can be a barrier as well, with buses running late in the winter. On Tuesday, Calgary Transit was experiencing CTrain and bus delays again due to the weather.

“I don’t know how anybody survives in the cold. It is beyond bitter outside,” Harris said. “Our youth remind us constantly how resilient and resourceful they are. They teach us a lot about where safe spaces are.”